RECAP: Memphis notches huge road win at No. 21 Texas A&M.

The Tigers may have gotten their signature win Sunday afternoon.

Memphis (7-2) defeated No. 21 Texas A&M (7-3) in an 81-75 statement. The Aggies—ranked No. 15 in the NCAA NET rankings—are the Tigers’ first Quad 1 win of the season. But Penny Hardaway’s team also owns neutral court victories over Arkansas and Michigan, and road victories at Missouri and VCU. All four of those games could also become better marks on Memphis’ resume as the season goes on.

Center Jordan Brown was unavailable for the Tigers’ second straight outing due to an undisclosed illness. Bluff City Media reported Friday that Brown is not expected to return to Memphis this season for reasons unrelated to the illness. The Louisiana transfer has not officially left the program yet, though. Memphis now returns to FedExForum for the remainder of its non-conference slate with matchups on tap against No. 24 Clemson (Dec. 16), Virginia (Dec. 19) and Vanderbilt (Dec. 23).

Memphis shot 48% from the field against Texas A&M while also shooting 41% from 3-point range. The Tigers won the rebounding battle 37-35 and forced 12 turnovers from the Aggies. Additionally, Hardaway’s team led for 35:15 of the 40-minute contest and compiled 2 blocks, 8 steals and 15 assists.

Texas A&M, meanwhile, shot just 39% as a group and made 18% of its 3-pointers. All three of the Aggies’ leading scorers were held under double-figures, and nobody on Buzz Williams’ team could score besides Manny Obaseki (21 points on 7-of-13 shooting).

Here are some takeaways from Memphis basketball’s best win of the season.

David Jones dominates. On a bad ankle.

Jones stole the ball with 9:55 left in Wednesday’s game between Memphis and VCU. With the Rams leading 55-52, he then tried to cut the lead to a single point by doing what he’s done so many times. He wanted either a tough bucket at the rim or a foul.

Jones got the latter, but with a cost. His ankle twisted off the leg of a VCU player whilst he was fouled by Alphonzo Billups. Jones, Memphis’ leading scorer, tumbled to the floor in a lot pain. It looked bad—very bad—for a moment, but he quickly made his way to the Tigers’ bench. And after a quick ankle-taping in the locker room, Jones was back in at the 9:18 mark. The St. John’s transfer finished the game with 23 points and 8 rebounds.

He pushed through the pain to play against the Aggies Sunday, but he didn’t look like an injured man once the ball tipped off. Jones dominated the first half with 21 points and 5 rebounds while shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 3-of-5 from 3-point range. He also blocked 2 shots and got a steal in the game’s first 20 minutes, helping the Tigers to a 38-29 halftime lead.

DAVID F***ING JONES 😤🔥

21 PTS
5 REB
3-5 3PT
6-10 FG

DJ is doing it ALL for Memphis right now, as they lead #21 Texas A&M by a score of 38-29 at the half.

One of the most impressive performances in a half of basketball that I’ve seen in awhile.@BluffCity_Media | #GTG🐅 pic.twitter.com/nf8LW6fGJ3

— Hitmen Hoops Media (@HitmenHoops) December 10, 2023

Jones made two more 3-pointers in the second half, and finished the game with 29 points and 7 rebounds on a 47% shooting clip.

Memphis gains a halftime advantage.

The first half was a true back-and-forth slugfest—for about 18 minutes.

The final two, however, were a different story. The score was 29-29 with 2:41 left until halftime, and Jones had scores 21 of the Tigers’ 29 points up until then. But Memphis’ other stars finally stepped up.

Jahvon Quinerly took the lead with a driving layup. Nick Jourdain scored another layup off an Aggies turnover. Quinerly then made a 3-pointer and Caleb Mills finished the half with two made free throws. The Tigers led 38-29 by the time the first half buzzer sounded.

Memphis finished the half with a 44.4% shooting clip and 4 made 3-pointers. Texas A&M shot just 30% from the field in the game’s first 20 minutes. Quinerly finished the period with 9 points and 4 assists.

Memphis shuts down Wade Taylor IV, and cruises to victory.

Texas A&M never gave up.

It fought, slashed and clawed until the very end. The Aggies even cut into multiple double-digit Memphis leads. But it was all for not without significant contributions from Taylor, the Aggies’ leading scorer (18 points per game before Sunday’s contest). The 6-foot guard finished the game with just 9 points and 8 assists while shooting 3-of-14 from the field and 0-of-9 from 3-point range.

Quinerly, meanwhile, continued from where he left off at the end of the first half. The Alabama transfer scored 15 points while shooting 4-of-7 from the field and 1-of-2 from 3-point range in the game’s final 20 minutes. He finished the game with 24 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Mills compiled 13 points and 3 rebounds with 2 made perimeter shots.

Memphis shot 13-of-25 from the field and 56% from 3-point range in the second half. Texas A&M made just 19% of its perimeter shots in that same stretch.